South Africa: Mandela Bay Listeriosis Outbreak Source Still Not Found

The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality has assured residents that everything possible was being done to address the outbreak of listeriosis in the metro, but the outbreak source has still not been identified. “We wish to assure all local residents and communities that the municipality is actively managing the Listeriosis outbreak in the city, in cooperation with all members of the Listeriosis Outbreak Response Team, which includes the provincial Departments of Health and Agriculture, as well as the municipality’s Environmental Health and Emergency Services divisions,” said spokesperson, Mthubanzi Mniki. Mniki said while the environmental health team was investigating all possible sources of the outbreak within the city, the contaminated source had not yet been identified. “The investigations undertaken are extensive and include the tracing of all listeriosis patients, testing their surroundings, and inspecting and testing bulk milk suppliers, food processing facilities and food distribution centres,” he said. “All samples taken, are tested by an accredited laboratory at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in Johannesburg. The inspections and tests will continue until the source is found and isolated,” he said.